


Lost boys.

by somekindoflosersclub



Category: Lord of the Flies - William Golding
Genre: After the Island (Lord of the Flies), Bullying, Dysfunctional Relationships, Heavy Angst, Island and Post Island, Love/Hate, M/M, Obsession, Obsessive Behavior, Original Character(s), PTSD Ralph, Period-Typical Homophobia, Post-Lord of the Flies, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, jalph - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:28:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23656873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/somekindoflosersclub/pseuds/somekindoflosersclub
Summary: Ralph did not even know how but he had fit into Jack's tribe over time. But they couldn't have guessed that everything was coming to an ugly end. How will events from the island affect their future?
Relationships: Jack Merridew/Ralph
Comments: 3
Kudos: 30





	Lost boys.

**Author's Note:**

> I always wondered what would happen post-Lord of the flies' story. Sorry for my bad English, yikes. You can give me some constructive criticism in comments so I could make better in the future haha :D :).. Also, Jack is a little shit, right?

It was daylight, the island looked virgin as ever, only Ralph was running for his dear life. Surely, he wanted to see the light of another day even though this Island was hell. The vision of getting out of there back home was keeping him alive. They've chased him for weeks and he somehow always managed to escaped them, even though he was the only one against a pack, just a week prey for a group of angry feral boys with sticks. He couldn't pick point which he considers worse- beginning unbearable loneliness or losing hope and his mind. Day by day he was weaker, only surviving on fruits or water. He still got his pride- becoming savage was inconceivable. How could he? That would mean betraying himself and his dignity. Ralph swore to himself to never betray his sainted values, even if they would torture him.

„Just surround yourself finally! You're on your own, Ralph! Were going to catch you!" Ralph heard Jack's voice full of excitement and malevolence. He was suddenly getting out of breath, every day he was getting weaker and weaker from all this escaping, but it appeared that Jack and his tribe only loved the hunt and all that chasing more and more. Like cat and mouse. Cat won't stop chasing the mouse till the very end. That's how was Ralph feeling right now and Jack was right. He was really on his own...

„We're going to catch you! We're going to catch you! We're going to catch you!"

The noise echoed all around him, they apparently came with a plan to encircle him from both sides like a pack of hungry lions ready to attack. There was no escape. In the shadow of bushes and trees, he saw dark silhouettes of wild boys. Their eyes glowed in the shadows. But he didn't surrender, he was willing to fight for his life, for his hope of getting home, so he gathered up only to be sweep away from his feet to the ground by some strong arms with freckles. The breath was knocked out of him as he hit the ground in full space and strength. Jack quickly gathered up himself from the ground and he immediately attached a sharp stick to Ralph's neck not giving a poor boy a chance to escape. Both boys looked at each other with hate and maybe some secret admiration. _What had become of you?_ They've asked in their minds. Their breaths connected in the same rhythm. The moment was interrupted by howling and joy of incoming boys. They gathered up around them, awaiting what their leader is going to do. But all they got was silence. Air was tense and all of this was suddenly getting insufferable.

„What are we going to do to him?"

„Yes. What are we going to do him?"

They all looked at their leader. Jack looked at the boy on the ground, he put his finger on his lips, clearly thinking.

„We should kill him." Proclaimed Roger.

„Yeah, we should kill him!"

„Kill the Beast! Spill his blood! Cut his throat!" The boys chanted.

„No!" Jack objected. „Quiet!" He yelled. „I decide here. Not you! I'm your Chief."

„So what are you going to do about him, Jack?" Roger asked with a monotone tone.

„It'll be good to have a prisoner for a while. What are you saying, boys?" Jack smirked. The boys cheered.

„Alright then, we're going to have a prisoner here. " Jack contentedly added, then tied him up with a rope and forced him to walk in front of them, Jack's sharp end of the spear still on his back.

**_///_ **

Ralph spent the rest of the day tied to rocky ledges without water or food, in the direct sunlight he felt his skin burning slowly but surely. Only when the sun came down and suddenly was evening the boys brought him a piece of the caught pig, but he refused. Jack shook his head at him and rolled on a throne in the middle of a cliff built from animal bones. Ralph looked up at him.

"If you'll refuse food, you'll just starve to death. You wouldn't want that, would you? "He said wisely from the throne.

„What do you care?" Ralph cut him off.

Jack frowned. "You'll go hunting with us tomorrow. Whether you want it or not. Anyone who doesn't comply with my rules will die. You're no longer the only wise proud leader, Ralph, aren't you? "He added mockingly, and when he noticed the rising sun, he stood up from his throne and started walking toward the cave. Roger joined him. Little two dictators. "Sam and Eric on patrol!" He ordered the twins who were just standing behind.

"Wait, what about the others?" Ralph suddenly spoke in order to subdue Jack's authority. Everyone looked at him in confusion.

"What do you mean, others?" Jack drew his attention, narrowing his eyes, looking at the boy below him. _What's your point, Ralph?_

"There's a _Beast_ running around, isn't it? You're all afraid of it and you scare each other with it. You're safely hiding in a cave, but what about the others? They have no shelter, nothing to hide overnight. "

"They defend this place." Jack objected.

"Don't you think they only defend _you_?" Ralph remarked wisely, and Jack blushed with anger and disgrace.

"Everybody finds a hole you'll hide when _the Beast_ will come. Tomorrow we will take care of the dwellings. Sam and Eric on guard like I said! "

He stopped at the entrance to the cave.

"Roger, untie him and swap places with him."

"What ?!" In absolute shock the dark-haired boy looked at him.

"Why did you want me here? Now everyone will hate me even more. "Ralph protested as Jack dragged him into the cave.

Jack seemed to have completely ignored his sentence.

"No one dares to touch my things. Don't worry. You're safe with me. "

"I'm not your thing! I'm not yours! "Ralph exclaimed.

"Maybe not, but you're still my prisoner," Jack said seriously, stepping closer, pulling Ralph by the tied hands behind him.

**///**

Ralph closed his eyes when he saw the prey getting slaughtered. It screeched, the jungle was filled with the noise of absolute agony and Ralph could swear he could feel it too. Jack noticed his hesitant behavior and chuckled.

„Stop being like a small whiney baby. It's just a pig. Now come sit down here. We're going to make a hunter out of ya." Jack said with a big smile and patted seat on a rock where he sat. Ralph slowly got closer to him. Jack dipped his fingers into pig's blood.

„Stop."Ralph put his hand on Jack's wrist as he was about to paint his face with pig's fresh blood. Jack froze in the movement, blood dripping off his fingers and looked into green eyes.

„I will never be your precious hunter," Ralph said with a sudden force, defiance in his voice.

„Fine then. You refused my offer to be part of the trail. Don't expect from me to treat you any better. In fact, you're still our prisoner. But one day you'll have to join us. I'll make you!" Jack shouted. He acted like some stupid child playing a leader who will get anything he wanted, actually, he was just like that and he hated the fact that he hadn't bright morally good Ralph on his side. Why did he reject him? All boys joined him, so why did he not? Why he didn't want to? _He should beg for that_ , Jack thought with sudden bitterness.

„What do you think by one day? Do you seriously think that pigs will be here forever? That we are going to stay here forever? That is very stupid and soon we will die, do you realize that?! Why won't you order your hunters to make fire on a high mountain so we can finally go home? Someone has to find us, has to! And we are doing nothing! Please, Jack..."

„Stop saying that bullshit! Home, home, home. It's here! Don't you see?! So make peace with it."

„No, Jack, I don't see it....You really don't wanna go home?"Ralph was hopeless, he almost cried. There was silence for a while but then Jack leaned closer and looked the smaller boy in eyes.

„I want to be always a little boy and have fun."He said with a serious face, but suddenly his mischievous smile reappeared. „And tonight, we're having a party!"

**///**

Jack sat on the trunk of a fallen palm tree beside Ralph, holding a bowl full of swine's blood in his hands again.

"So, now you're an official member of our tribe. I'm glad you've joined us, Ralph. "With a smile of satisfaction, he dipped his fingers and leaned over Ralph's face. Ralph wanted to retort that he had not joined him and was merely their involuntary captive but refrained from commenting. He didn't want to provoke Jack if he wanted to keep his plan to escape. Instead, he silently put in his hand on Jack's.

„What is it again?" Jack's shoulders dropped.

"I want to go home," Ralph said, not desperately, just firmly and seriously.

"There's the stupid word again! We live here, it's fine without adults, we do what we want. What else do you want ?!" He shouted at him.

"We only survive, we don't live. We'll die here in a minute, Jack. Our home is England. Civilized world. Don't you remember the warm soup that filled the stomach, the clean fragrant clothes, the touch of your mother ...?"It seemed that Jack may have listened and thought about the words, but then he put the bowl down with the loud bump, a few drops of pig's blood splashed and sank into the sand.

"You will be a hunter. Let me show you what life is all about." He spoke while he was painting his face harshly and quickly against his will, making a long line through his lips and his cheeks too. Ralph tensed from the nasty stink of blood coming under his nose.

"Come on." Finally, Jack took his hand and pulled him into a circle of boys dancing and jumping around the fire. Ralph found himself trapped in an infinitely rotating circle. He didn't know if he was slowly losing all his sanity, but the world around him was swinging, and from somewhere he heard music, some drums that echoed to the beat. He recognized his hallucination. There was no one on the island. No natives. Only them. Once civilized English boys. Ralph, however, reminded himself that the vision of anarchy on the island must not control him, he is still a civilized Englishman and he just wants to implement his plan to escape. He just had to wait for the right moment. And that time has just come. The boys began to dance and jump wildly. They all laughed, lost in the chaos, and if any possible savior saw them, he would have thought they looked like wild forest gnomes. Determined to take advantage of their messing around, Ralph detached himself from Jack, pretending to leap and fool around with the crowd to blend in between them, while taking the fallen firewood from behind and taking a desperate escape. The fire was his only salvation. In his mind, he repeated his plan. Keep the fire, get to the top of the island as high as possible and light the signal fire. His goal would be within reach if Jack's voice, and eventually his shadow, wouldn't reach him a few meters. Ralph's only hope in the form of fire went out in the cool night sand as Jack knocked him and the torch down.

„Where the hell do you think you goin?!" Jack screamed at him, standing on all four on top of him, pinning smaller boys wrists to the ground.

„Anywhere far away from you."Ralph spat with disgust.

„Well, you got no one left." Jack grinned.

„Maybe because your trail killed them!"Ralph said that goddamn truth. Silence stuck between them.

„But I didn't want to! All I wanted was this to be a paradise!"

„Look around you! Do you think this is what paradise looks like?! This is Hell. And you've created it!"

Ralph saw the anger awakened at the taller boy's face, fire in his eyes.

„Come on- Why won't you kill me? I tried to escape, I disobeyed you- _my leader_." Ralph said mockingly.

„I don't want to kill you. I've said it already!" Jack said through clenched teeth. This was hard to admit...

„Yeah, so you haunted me for what? Fun?"

„No, it's not like that!"Jack protested.

„So?" Ralph rose up an eyebrow.

„I _like_ you...o-okay?" Jack murmured.

„What?" Said the boy on the ground with a small voice, absolutely shocked to his core. He opened his mouth a little.

„You hear me."

„No."Ralph shook his head, his expression stern. „You're not capable of that. _The Beast_ is not capable of that. .."

It had appeared that his words only angered the redhead even more.

„ _Beast_ you say..."Jack murmured under his breath. How dare he call him _the Beast_?! He eventually smirked like there were some sick thoughts in his head, his eyes sparkly from the fire nearby- almost yellow like an animal. He leaned closer to the boy on the ground, their foreheads and noses firmly touching, their breaths and heartbeat quicken.

„What are you doing?" Ralph whispered with visible fear in his voice.

„Freeing _the Beast_." Said boy with a smirk and with a visible force he crushed his lips down to another lips.

**///**

Jack was awakened by the screams and sobs of a smaller boy who was lying near him. He immediately got to him and pulled him into a hug.

„Hey, hey, I'm here. What's wrong? Was it a nightmare?"

„Get away from me!"Ralph hissed and pushed at Jack's chest so the redhaired boy fell on his butt on harsh stones which were in their cave.

„What? Why? What did I do to you?" Jack asked the most stupid and obvious question that he ever asked.

„What we did last night was wrong,"Ralph said with seriousness in his voice. „It was a sin."

„I do not care."

„Well, I care! Do you even care about what I care, Jack?! You are one selfish piece of shit you know that?"

Jack turned red with anger and maybe shame, he got on his knees and he took Ralph by his face, his thumbs dug deep in Ralph's cheeks. The smaller boy agashed by Jacks's sudden action impulses but he didn't dodge with his eyes away.

„' Am sorry, okay. 'Am sorry for everything I did to you...' Am sorry that I let that stupid signal fire burned out...We could be home already, but instead, all I wanted to was stay here and have fun. And the thing is, worst of all is- I do not regret it. Look at us. We're thriving and everybody got a place here. Isn't it wonderful? And I am a leader and you could be too, Ralph. Just give up to wilderness. Feel it!" Jack cried like a madman.

„No!"Ralph shouted.

„Yes!"Jack shouted back.

**///**

Ralph did not even know how but he had fit into Jack's tribe over time. He gave up counting days, it seemed like he was on the island for all eternity. Jack tolerated him as his co-leader, just as he promised, they ruled a tribe of savage boys. They swam in clean mountain lakes, hunted, and then in the evening they had parties around the fire, the world belonged to them and no one else, they felt better than the kings of the world, but they couldn't have guessed that everything was coming to an ugly end. And _The Beast_ was still there.

Ralph woke up one morning to painful cries and crying. He came out of the cave immediately. He was horrified to see how they punished a little boy according to Jack's sick rules. He could be about 8 years old and was stretched and naked on hard stones like a frog. Around him stood two older boys holding a cane. Blood flowed from him, and every scream of a little martyr made Ralph feel worse and worse. How could they commit this? How could _he_ _allow_ this? Succumb to Jack and agree to his sick rules. Ralph picked up the last drops of his remaining sanity, and with quick steps came to the scene in front of him, stood in front of the little boy just as Roger was rising his whip ready to strike. Luckily, only Ralph's hand caught it as he tried to defend himself, but it still hurt terribly. He lurched away from the pain and gazed glaringly into Roger's black bloodthirsty eyes, waiting for another blow.

"Move! Or you'll get it!" With a smirk, he was chasing back again when he saw that the boy wasn't retreating, this time he hit Ralph's neck. He hissed while biting his tongue to let himself not cry. He clasped his fingers into the small, open bleeding wound on his neck.

"Hey!" Jack exclaimed, walking quickly out of the cave. "What's going on here ?!" He came closer, looking at the boys. They were mute.

"What is going on here ?! You will reply to your Chief immediately, otherwise I will whip you myself!"He yelled. Roger recovered first and started whispering in Jack's ear. He then blushed, and Roger waved with his whip toward Ralph, "... and this one was guilty of breaking the sentence. Any form of resistance is punishable! ", he added loudly.

"What are you suggesting then?" Jack asked thoughtfully, he was not completely interested in Roger's opinion, as a chief he decided what he wanted, he just needed time to think right now. _Oh, stupid Ralph!_

"Punish them both. 35 blows. "A wild black-haired boy grinned.

"Just punish me. Leave the little one out of it. "

"Oh, noble saint Ralph. As always. "Roger rolled his eyes. "Your plea for you and the little won't help."

"Ralph, the little one has defamed you and offended your honor. You are the second Leader and so he disrespects your Leader and thus me. This is unjustifiable. Besides, he slept all night, while he was supposed to be on guard. "

"Punish me, not him." Ralph repeated boldly.

Jack sighed and rolled his eyes. _It's hard with you, Ralph. You still have your moral values, don't you? You're probably a hero._ He thought bitterly, with irony.

"No. I know exactly what we do with them. Who wants some hunt, boys?" Jack finally declared, a fearsome smirk on his face. The boys cheered enthusiastically.

**///**

"Run, Ralph, run!" Jack pushed him hard onward.

"You're crazy! You've gone mad!" But Ralph maintained to keep himself on feet and looked into the taller boy's eyes.

"It's _just_ a game." Jack grinned with a cold smile. There was a moment of unspoken silence between them, interrupted only by the concealed tense breaths.

„ _COME ON! RUN!_ " Jack yelled at him until the echo of his ferocious voice echoed across the island.

Ralph had no choice but to throw himself into the dark unwelcome jungle. He heard Jack's mad laughter behind him, realizing that he had just lost all of his sanity and facade of humanity. This was serious. Jack called his fun hunting game. But the game can turn into a bloodshed...

The Ralph's legs trembled with the realization of what Jack was capable of, without seeing thick roots he stumbled over and fell. From a distance he heard the hateful roar of a crowd full of ferocious boys, approaching and coming, followed with an unbearable warmth and some kind of glow. Ralph quickly gathered from the ground with panic, realizing that light and glow were flames that slowly but surely began to devour the island. They set the island on fire to get him trapped. This was hell and savages wanted nothing but blood. He ran forward with anxiety, hoping to find his way back to the beach and the sea. He looked behind him, they were catching up with him, fortunately, he was only separated from the safe beach by a high jump. He jumped over ferns, bushes, and thorns and landed hard on the sand. He sighed slowly, glancing at some boots in front of him. He looked at the man towering over him.

"What are you doing here, boys?" The soldier shook his head in amazement as he saw a bunch of painted half-naked boys with spears in their hands, who had just arrived there and stood in a harsh reality when they saw their rescue. This was the end.

Ralph, half-sitting half- lying on the ground, left out helpless sob from his mouth and tears began to pour from his tired eyes.

**_///_ **

They all sat in silence in a boat that was supposed to bring them back to civilization. There was tension, almost embarrassing silence that was only disturbed by the effervescent waves. After all, what would a bunch of boys say to each other who had failed and violated all the moral principles of humanity? Just a few moments ago, they were attempting another murder ...

Unfortunately, Simon and Piggy will never return home ...

Ralph sat in the corner of the boat, curled in a defenseless ball, trying not to make eye contact with either of the boys, and not Jack - especially Jack. He wondered what their relationship would be without that damn island? Would they be friends or enemies? Would they do what happened between them on the island? Ralph bitterly realized that he had succumbed to Jack's lust and savageness and that their short fling meant nothing more than a perplexed desire on a desert island from which they thought they would never get. But now they faced reality. And it was ugly. For both of them. For some ended up idyll, for some hell. Some were predator, some were prey. Ralph shivered unintentionally. Jack stared at the bottom of the boat, unable to do anything. So, this was the end.

_I think I never want to see you again Jack Merridew,_ he thought bitterly but with regret. It seemed as if Jack had reproached his thoughts, for at that very moment he had finally looked up. The boys' eyes met in one gaze full of understanding, shame and regret.

_I'm sorry._

_I'm sorry._

**_///_ **

Ralph woke to loud banging at the door and the sound of waves crashing into the ship. He looked at the moving handle, frightened, somebody twitching with it.

"Ralph? Ralph! Come on. "Jack's pleading voice came from outside, sounding like a tame lamb. Ralph was really scared. Has he come to finish what he started? He breaks the door and kills him, or something worse? His throat tightened anxiously. He wanted to shout at his pursuer to disappear, but he couldn't find a voice. It stayed stucked somewhere in his throat. In the darkroom of the military ship, he could hear only his frightened breath and Jack's continued jerking on the handle.

"Ralph! I want us to be friends again. Come on, Ralph, open up. "He spoke in a very sweet voice. Not threatening, rather desperate.

Ralph shook his head, though Jack couldn't see him. Did he want to be a friend despite everything that happened? Ralph thought he wouldn't be able to trust people ever again. His goodness was gone, Jack took it from him and he cursed him for it. He stood up and walked out of bed, pausing in the middle of the room as if he didn't know what to do, where to go. Finally, he walked shakily to the closed door, as the roar of the handle and Jack fell silent. To make sure he had left and left him at last, he put his ear to the door.

"To hell with you, Ralph!" Angry Jack suddenly kicked the door and Ralph jumped in place, frightened.

"I'll find you and have you, you understand ?! This game _isn't_ over yet, you're still my _prisoner_. I'll get you, Ralph. You _could not_ escape the island! "He heard a dangerous threatening whisper full of anger, and Ralph didn't know if he was just watching another nightmare of his or if this was just cruel crazy reality. But this was real. Jack was Jack and he was angry and still savage. It hasn't changed with the arrival of people. The animal was still sleeping in him, which probably wouldn't change that easily.

Ralph covered his mouth with a shaking hand to avoid a frightened sob. Did he really think everything would end on the island? It will never end. The hunters will be free with impunity and will continue to hunt for their prey. What if they'll wait for him at school and ...? He felt betrayed, broken and despite being on a ship full of adults, the soldiers even, he did not feel safe. At all. He didn't know if he'd ever feel safe.

Ralph slumped to the floor at the door and curled into a ball, when he heard the keys in the door, he drew back even more. He experienced so much suffering, so he was almost sure he can handle this. He imagined Jack coming in with a spear in his hand, ready to finish what he failed to do. The door opened, and he reflexively covered his head with his hands and curled to the next corner to defend himself from Jack's attack, or perhaps if Jack would saw his humiliation and defensiveness he'd found a pinch of compassion. Instead, however, he heard heavy boots as they walked and stopped in front of him.

"Oh, poor boy. What have they done to you? "One of the soldiers pitied him and Ralph began to cry.

**_///_ **

"What do you mean my son has PTSD?" Ralph's mom asked, frightened as she sat in the school psychologist's office, not knowing what the word meant

"PTSD stands for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, your son has experienced a lot of evil on that island, unfortunately, it will be naturally reflected in his mental health. He can wake up from nightmares, experience unpleasant memories, he can still be scared ... "

"But ... But _why_ did these boys do that?" Ralph's mother asked in disbelief through tears.

"You know ... a man can react in a situation where the boys find themselves short-circuited. He returns to his instincts. That prompts me to ask ... are we really such a civilized nation? What do you think?"

"But Mrs. Fergas, do you think children would be able to do something so cruel?"

"Children are no different from adults, ma'am ..."

Ralph sat in front of the school psychologist's office, stared into the ground, listened to the conversation behind him through the open door. He couldn't believe it either. His peers, his classmates, tried to kill him like some animal, just because they were bored on a desert island? Fuck. He couldn't explain that. Piggy and Simon won't come back to school just because of this stupid ... _fate_? _Boredom_? Why was their death necessary? Somewhere he knew the answer, the savage boys only driven by the primitive instinct for killing. At that memory, he snorted, his nose somehow wet, and straightened up on his chair. As soon as he looked down the students' corridor, he saw some familiar fire-red hair somewhere in the crowd. Uncomfortable chills ran through his body and he froze, wanting to look away immediately, but he couldn't even move one muscle. A cold sweat splashed him. It was really Jack. The same Jack and his fucking tribe of savages, whom he would see in his dreams for a very long time. He had unpleasant memories of the island right in front of him, right there, and for a moment he had disappeared from school. He heard a loud roar, crying, screaming, saw Simon's body stabbed and floating in the seawater, saw a screaming Piggy on which the boys had spitefully thrown a huge boulder from the safe height of an islet, he suddenly smelled blood and reed, scorching fire and then he was running away just to survive. Then he felt someone's teeth and a wet trail of tongue on his neck. With breathlessness, he returned to reality. The vision of the corridor was blurry, but he saw them...He saw them too clearly. The elite of the school.

They walked in a group as if nothing had happened, as if they had just came from a long, pleasant holiday, their skin was tanned like in an American movie, they were wearing school black uniforms of the Catholic choir, and their cloaks waved with every step they took. Ralph squeezed his fists, his nails anxiously buried into his palm when he saw Jack's cold gaze. Something had changed in a second, the cold steel eyes softened, all of a sudden there was a pinch of some sort of unknown regret, when Jack realized that Ralph was sitting in front of him, all ruined and frightened by his spree. He disconnected from his group and walked over to the tense boy who was sitting on the chair outside the school psychologist's office. He really was responsible for this. He searched for his words to speak.

„Ralph..."He began.

"Stay away from me!" He spoke between his teeth, Jack was the last one he wanted to see. What does he and his friends do at school anyway? Shouldn't they be fired? Shouldn't they be in prison or a juvenile detention center?

"What if we met after school?" Jack unconsciously provoked, but he just wanted to get Ralph back. He needed him.

"Don't talk to me." Ralph snapped at him again, detached himself from the chair, and burst into the office. His mom and psychologist turned. He slammed the door behind him, leaving Jack standing confused in the hallway.

"You didn't tell me when I got back here after all of that ... that, _HE_ will be here!" He exclaimed frustratedly and looked hopelessly at Mrs. Fergas as if she had betrayed him.

"I'm very sorry about it, Ralph. Jack's parents want him to finish school here. They're very influential people ... "Ralph no longer listened.

**_///_ **

Ralph was afraid to fall asleep at the dorm during the first night. The hunters continued to ramble around the area, nowhere was safe, it was as if he resurfaced on the island all over again. He wasn't feeling safe and pinched his arm just to avoid falling asleep. He was sure they would come and kill him. Or they will do something completely worse. In the end, however, he was overwhelmed, around 3 am, his heavy eyelids fell, and he accidentally fell asleep. A few minutes later, a firm grip on his mouth woke him up. He opened his eyes with fear, gazing into the face of masked boys in black hoods, but he could recognize the black bloodthirsty eyes of Roger, he would recognize them anywhere. They held his mouth tight. He thought Roger was going to choke him, so he tried to fight and scream so he can draw the attention of his one roommate, but his sound was muted in Roger's palms. He was wrong, they didn't want to suffocate him, because all four of them took him by his limbs and pulled him out of the room. He did not want to give up without a fight, not just being tortured to give them satisfaction and light fighting. He started to kick, he managed to free one leg, then half of his body fell on the wooden floor causing a thump. But he failed to slide out of the strong grip of their hands, so they again captured him with a lot of swearing. They lifted him up again. At the same time, he managed to scream for help as Roger's hand fell from his mouth for a moment. Then Roger removed the black mask from his face and tied Ralph's mouth with it.

"There's no one here to help you, _Ralphie_." Roger mocked. Ralph was still struggling as he was dragged out into the cool night air. They dragged him across the school lands to the nearby lake behind the school. For a moment they were looking for a stone to tie up on his feet when they were disturbed in their work by a figure that came out of the shadow of a tree behind them.

"Leave him alone!" Jack ordered angrily. "Nobody touches him!"

"You're somehow tame, Merridew. Ah, all softie. Look at you. Just for him." Roger chuckled. Jack growled.

„Let him down! _Now_!"

"As you wish," Roger said, with a malicious grin on his face, he ordered his boys and they threw Ralph into the water. Fortunately, they couldn't tie the weight, and Ralph knew how to swim. But the water he had been thrown to was shallow at the shore, and when Ralph landed on the bottom of the lake, he scraped his elbows against the harsh stones, hit his head and finally when finally surfaced he palpated a clot of blood in his wet hair. He glanced disoriented at the dark surroundings, but he only found Jack's blurry figure. The hunters fled.

"Let me help you." Jack walked up to him in the water and held out his hand.

"I don't need your help." Ralph shook his hand and stubbornly walked past him until he got ashore.

"Let me take you to the infirmary, at least. You are bleeding everywhere! "Jack was still offering himself and followed him.

"I can go there myself. You don't have to be suddenly caring to justify your actions and your stupid gang. "Ralph snapped, heading for the school. He didn't expect Jack to catch up, grab his wrists, and turn him to himself. Suddenly he was found nailed to a tree trunk, Jack's hands tightly gripping his neck, but at the same time being careful not to hurt him.

"I don't want to hurt you," Jack whispered near his face. Ralph was looking for a lie in his cold eyes, but found only tame blue soft eyes.

"But you've already hurt me." Ralph gritted through his teeth, tried to calm himself, knowing well if he would fight against Jack's grip he won't release him so easily. "Okay, so what do you want to talk about?"

"I never wanted it to go that far! All I wanted was your attention. When you were a leader you never looked out for my opinion and I ... wanted to be like you. Everyone admired you, followed you. That is why I made my own rules, I was never happier when they followed me. But you didn't want to, you didn't want to follow me and it hurt me. And now... Damn, Ralph, I'm tired of your running. "He slammed one fist into a tree, with the other hand he was still holding the smaller boy around his neck as if he was afraid he could escape any time. "Shit, think of me what you want, that I am _the Beast_ , a _monster_ , but God, my only wishful thinking is to be on the island again. Together. _Just us_. "He lifted his hand from the tree, shreds of bark stucked in his knuckles from hitting a tree, now he was reaching his hand to Ralph's pale cheek. He gently stroked him, leaving a patch of clay on his cheek and sliding his blond hair behind his ear. Ralph held his breath.

Finally, Jack couldn't resist and he pressed his hungry lips to Ralph's. But Ralph was not responding.

„Come on, Ralph. I know you _want_ me. We'll be together. Like on the island." Jack bit his lower lip greedily.

"No," Ralph whispered. "No!" He shouted loudly this time, and with all his strength gathered he pushed Jack away. Jack growled in exasperation. How dare he?! ...

„You haunted on me!"

"Yes, but only because I didn't want them to punish you."

"You almost killed me! You burned the island, you wanted to stab me brutally with the- with the spear! Admit it, you craved for blood back then and you crave now!"

"I wouldn't kill you!" He shouted in frustration. There was a long silence between them. They looked each other in the eye.

"Jack, we can't be friends," Ralph spoke at last. His voice trembled with regret at what might have been if Jack hadn't gone completely mad. "Every night I see you in my dreams as my torturer. Don't you understand?! We can't be friends. Never. "He stressed the last word. Hard.

„I'll change." Cried Jack.

„How?! Do you think Beast is something you can hunt and kill?" He asked an unanswerable question, which remained hanging heavily in the air. Ralph took a breath. "If you think you can change, then you let me go. Now. "

Jack felt shocked by Ralph's words, he allowed his grip to loose around his neck, so the little boy simply slipped from his grip.

"You have to hate me, don't you? So much hate me. "After a minute of silence Jack said with a full bitterness in a voice that stopped Ralph walking and he turned.

"First, after leaving the island, I thought I'd hate you. I wanted to. I _wished_ to. But I can't do it. I couldn't hate. But I can't forgive you, Jack. "

They stared at each other for a moment, knowing well it was the last time. Usually strong Jack now with tears in his eyes, Ralph calmly. Finally, Ralph turned and walked into the darkness. He left Jack alone in the dark with his thoughts.

_Maybe there is a Beast. Maybe it's just us._


End file.
